Oil reclaimer



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,644

0. VAN BRUNT ET AL OIL RECLAIMER Filed July 5, 1922 2 s s l T0 RESERVOIR ii 11 i W 1 lg} i I t z V q? I 1 l 4 k i Inventors Chafles Van Brunt,

PhIIIp Smnller,

b 5 Their-A tome;

Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,644

. c. VAN BRUNT ETAL OIL RECLAIMER Filed July 5, 1922 2 Sheets'Sheet 2 llmlll Inventors: Charles Van Brunt, Philip S.TTliI|eT-, I

Them Attorney.

Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES VAN 1mm AND PHILIP S. MILLER, 01' SCKENECTAD'Y, NEW YORK, A8- BIGNOBS T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

011' BECLAIHEB.

Application filed m a,

V This application is a continuation in part of our prior application, Serial No. 484,202, filed July 12, 1921. g

The-present invention relates to the purlfication of Li aids and particularly to' the reclamation of lubricating oil which has been used in the crank case of an internal combustion engine, orunder any other conditions which reduce its viscosity and impair its 10 lubricating qualities. Our-invention makes it possible to remove volatilizable'impurities from oil, and in a single and expeditious way to restore the viscosity or body of usedoil to substantially its original condition so that it will be equal or even superior in serviceability to unused oil. The apparatus for practicing our invention is automatic n operation, is free from fire hazard, and 1s simple in construction so that it may be readily operated even by unskilled labor.

In the crank case 'of internal combustion engines, particularly under the conditions encountered by automobile engines, the lubricant becomes contaminated both with solid 2 matter and diluted by unburnt fuel constituents. This dilution of the oil lowers its lubricating and piston-sealing value. Our resentinvention relates to the removal 0 the diluents in the oil. These diluents are com pletely miscible with the heavier lubricating 'oil, and therefore could be removed by Ol'dlnary heating of the oil in bulk only at :1 dangerously high temperature and; an uneconomical expenditure of time and energy.

- In accordance with one feature of our invention, we have provided a rectification apparatus whereby the rateof evaporation 1s so greatly accelerated that only a moderate temerature is re uired for a commercially userate of rec amation. p

In accordance with another feature of our invention the oil to be purified in the form of althin turbulent film, 15 subjected to a draft. or current of air, or other gas, which carries away the vapor from the surface of the film. In accordance with another feature of our invention we have provided an evaporator which subjects the oil to .a progressively higher temperature as its content of diluents becomes reduced, and the boiling point becomes higher, thereby accelerating the evapo- 1922. Serial No. 572,601.

feeding the oil into the reclaimer at a sub- I stantially constant rate even inspite of variations in viscosity of different samples and we also may and referably do arrange to feed the oil in such a manner that the rate of feed also will be independent of variations of the head of the oil in the storage tank and feed pipe.

Our invention will be better understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended clauns;

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 isa perspective view of a preferred form of apparatus for practising our invention, a part of the housin being shown broken away- Fig. 2 shows in perspective a complete ou t including a feed device Fig. 3 1s a fragmental view showing the preferred construction of an evaporator for use in our 011 recovery device; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of our feed device; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of another form of apparatus for practising our invention; Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5; Figs: 7 and 8 constitute respectively perspective views of the spreader and heater used in the apparatus shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Referring to the drawing, the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 comprises a distributing device 1, into which oil to be reclaimed is fed by a tube 2. The oil is discharged and distributed upon each side of an evaporator- 4 by'ducts 3 which preferably .are of capillary dimensions. The construction of the evapo- ,rat-or will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, particularly in connection with 3. After assing over the surface of the evaporator, w ere it is substantially freed from diluents, the oil is discharged into a receiving storage tank 5 from which it may be withdrawn by a cock 6, as shown in Fig. 2. The

'volatilized constituents from the oil are carried away by a current of air or other gas which enters the apertures 7, becomes heated. in contact with the evaporator, and-therefore risesand escapes through a vent pipe 8. The function of the draft, produced in this way (or in any other way that circumstances may indicate), and flowing counter to the oil flow is of prime importance in that it greatly expedites evaporation by keeping the partial pressure of the vapors of the diluents down, and thus renders this operation practical at a comparatively low temperature. The dilution of the vapors attendant upon this feature has also the important effect of rendering the gaseous diluent non-inflammable.

As shown in Fig. 1, the evaporator is plate shaped and thereforeadapted tobe used in apparatus of large capacity in any desired number of units placed side by side. There is described in detail hereinafter a particularform of evaporator adapted to be used in the practice of our invention, but we wish it to be understood that various other con structions may be. employed to accomplish the desired result, the essential feature being the provision of means whereby the oil .to be reclaimed shall be spread in a moving film of minute thickness over a heated surface, the film being subjected as it moves along to suflicient heat to volatilize the diluents in the oil, or whatever liquid is to be purified.

The evaporator as best shown in Fig. 3 comprises an electric resistance heater 10 supported on a sheet of insulating material 11, for example, by securing the resistance wire under ears 12 cut out of the insulating sheet material and bent back upon the same.

Upon each side of the heater wire thus mounted are placed sheets of insulating material 13 so as to secure the resistor between sheets of insulation. Upon each side of the insulated resistor are placed in turn plates 14, of suitable sheet metal. These plates may be secured in place by the marginal stiffening strips 14 soldered at the edges and secured by bolts 15 to the side walls 16 of the reclaiming chamber. The sidewalls 16 of the reclaiming chamber preferably are double to provide heat insulation. Upon the surface of these sheet metal plates is secured some means for guiding the oil received from the distributing device 1 over the entire surface of the heated metal plates 14, as a continuously moving film. We prefer to use for this purpose a reticulated material, such as a wire gauze 17, which is securedto the surface of the sheet metal by welding or riveting so as to provide a plurality of interlacing ducts of capillary dimensions into which the Oll Wlll. run and therefore spread uniformly over the heated surface as a fine network of tiny streams with a film of varying thickness between them instead of following certain limited paths which would otherwise be the case.

In order to secure the greatest efficiency, the wire gauze 17 should be so attached to the heated plate, that no bulgin of the gauze away from the plate occurs. (300d results are obtainable b sweating fine mesh brassgauz'e to tin-plate sheet metal to which the heat is applied. The gauze may consist of wire about 10 mils in diameter with 40 meshes to the inch.

The heater which may be of an desired form is shown in Fig. 3 as a wire nt back and forth upon'itself, the turns of the zigzag being placed more closely adjacent at the bottom than at the top so as to heat the lower part of the plates 14 to a higher temperature than the upper part. This affords a very compact construction in which the film of oil is brought into very close contact with the heated surface over a relatively large area so that the heat is applied uniformly to all parts of the oil film, the oil with the above described construction, being subjected to a gradually and uniformly increasing temperature. Preferably, we provide for a steadyincrease of temperature from about 120 C. at the top of the plates to about 150 C. at the bottom of the plates. As the dilutedoil flows over the heated surface the rate of evaporation of the diluents becomes less, as a result both of their decreasing concentration and of the increasing boiling point of-the residual constituents. To counteract this the temperature encountered becomes increasingly higher as the oil flows downward. In other words, the rising temperature gradient from the top of the evaporator downwardly, counteracts a tendency for the evaporation of diluents to .slow down, as the oil film passes over the evaporator.

Although the dimensions of the evaporator may be varied to some extent, an increase of the length of path over whichthe oil may flow is of little advantage beyond a limit determined b the nature of the oil and its contentof diluents. When using a. plateshaped evaporator, as shown in Fig. 1, for the reclamation of oil taken from the crank case of an automobile, we prefer to use units having a height of about 12 inches, the width being determinedby convenience. The oil flow preferably occurs at a rate of about 3 gallons per square foot of evaporator surface per day of 24 hours. This rate is illustrative only, because, while, as explained below, it is notdesigned to be adjustable at will by the operator, but to remain fixed, at least over long .periods, it will depend upon certain factors which practice and demand may impose; for example, the well known seasonal variations andrequirements in crank case lubrication.

With a fixed orifice, the head and the rate of oil flow willvary raplidly with the degree of dilution of the oil. his is a variation in the wrong direction and would correspondingly diminish the completeness. of the reclamation. In accordance with our invention, we provide a feed device which will supply oil at a rate which is entirely independent of the viscosity or other characteristics of the 40 a leading to a reservoir (not shown) into which impure oil. The fact that the time re uired to evaporate a volatile diluent'from a iquid which is not readily volatile from a concentration A to a concentration B, is proportional to log. A minus log. B, is in favor of an approximate independence of the rate of rectification and the degree of dilution.

In accordance with this mathematical function, the rate of'evaporation increases enormously with the concentration ofthe diluent above a certain point, and conversely, decreases to a similar extent with the diminution of the concentration below a certain pointso that a considerable increase in the dilution of the oilwill not greatly affect the total time of its substantial removal.

A further consideration of a device of the present character which is intended to be operated by unskilled labor, or at least, by labor having by training and inclination little interest in the operation of an oil reclaimer, is that the operation of the device should be wholly automatic and should require no adjustment of feed valves for oils of different viscosity. Still another consideration in favor of an automatic rate of feed, which cannot be readily changed by the operator, is the fact that it removes the possibility of increasing1 therate of operation atthe expense of the c aracter of the product. We

' have therefore provided, as illustrated in Fig. 2, an apparatus whereby the feed takes place m a fixed and definite manner, which is obtained by providing for a fixed low head of oil and a feed of oil' by displacement with water supplied through a capillary orifice.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective the oil reclaimer, designated by R, receiving oil from an intermediate storage'tank T, which in turn receives the impure oil through a pipe 20 the impure oil may be dumped at anytime and accumulated. The intermediate tankT 1 may be of small capacity, say, from a quart When the float 21 is in the positionjshown and upward. I It contains a float 21, Fig. 4, connected to a valve in the receiving pipe 20.

, a quantity of oil is contained in the tank T,

the .oil is displacedby water received from an adjoining tank 22 communicating with the main tank, and receiving water at a con-' stant rate through an opening of capillary dimensions, for example, a pipe 23. The water causes the oil to float oil the oil at the same rate through a pipe 24 into the-receiving pipe 2 of the oil reclaimer. A vent25 is rovided to prevent the pipe 24 acting as a sip on. In

order to avoid thewater following the oil and flowing oil through the pipe 24 into the oil reclaimer, a'siphon 26 has been provided through which the water will-escape when it has reached a certain level.

The operation of the feed device will best be understood by reference to Fig.4. Suppose the tank 22.to be filled with water up 'wire gauze convenient I7 to the level a and the communicating tank 27 to contain water up to the level I) and'oil from level 6 to the level 0. As the oil is lighter than water the upper level a. of the water in the tank 22 will be below the level a. Water is admitted to the tank 22 at a constant rate through the capillary'tube 23 in which throttling is obtained by length 'rather than by constriction, and which therefore, is less likely to plug up than a cock or needle valve. As the flow of Water is constant, the oil displacement is constant, regardless of changing viscosity of the oil and of changing head. As the oil and water interface at b rises, the level (1 also rises until finally the level of Water becomes high enou h to start the siphon 26. The siphon 26 empties the tank 22 at a'greater rate than oil can be supplied by the supply pipe 20, so that the si hon breaks before oil can follow the water through the same. The tank 27 then fills with oil until the supply is 'shut off by the float operated valve 28. The

oil feed by displacement with water then is repeated. Since the capillary distributing ducts 3, (Fig. 1) are of fixed dimensions,'a standpipe is provided to permit oil ofvarying viscosities fed at a constant primary rate, as above indicated, to automatically find a level at which their discharge through the ducts 3 equals this rate, regardless of their viscosities.

or frosted, as indicated in Fi 5 or ,6. The

inserted into heater lamps are arranged to standard sockets 33 34, which are fixed to the .side wall of a chamber 35, adjoining the main chamber 36 in which the oil reclamation takes lace. We prefer to provide a plurality of amps located one above the other, the resistance andwattage of the heaters being so chosen'that the lower heater'operates at a somewhat higher temperature than the upper heater. For example, the u per heater ma operate at a temperature 0 g 110 to 125 and the lower heater ma 0 rate at a tem perature of 135 to 150 e heaters conveniently are connected electrically in series by the conductors 37, 38, and 39, to-supply mains 40. Surrounding the heaters are oil distributors 42 consisting of wire gauze,*='or other suitable reticulated material whereby a 1 network of passages of capillary dimensions ma be obtained.

illustrated in Fi 7, the cylinders of are crimped so as to provide longitudinal extending flanges 41, the lowermost flange he ing cut to provide a set of downwardly extending teeth in order to assist in the distribution of the oil. The

side walls ofthe rectifying chamber are provided with air deflectors 44, as shown 'in Fig. 6. These deflectors are spaced away from the'heaters and are so shaped as to conform with the general surface configuration of the I heaters, thereby directing the air currents entering through the lower draft holes 45 over the surface of the oil film in order to of the tank. By this means, the oil flow from tank 48 through the feed pipe 51 may be regulated to proceed at a su stantially constant rate as the oil level in the tank falls.' This regulationis also assisted by a stopcock52 in the pipe 51. a v I p The deviceshown in Fig. 6, corresponds very closely to the device shown in Fig.- 5, except that a chamber 53 is provided intermediate the oil tank 48 and the evaporating chamber 36 to revent undue heating of the oil in the cham r 48. A double row of ventilating holes 54 is provided in the walls of this intermediate chamber 53. Fig. 6 also shows the stop cock 52 provided with an external handle 55.

When the flow of oil has been adjusted to a suitable rate the door 56 ofthe draft chamber 36 is closed and the apparatus is then ready to operate without supervision. The oil trickling over. the wire gauze distributors 42 is freed from volatilizable constituents and accumulatesv in the lower reservoir where it may be drawn 011' by a tap 57.

We mean by the appended claims to cover modifications and equivalents coming within the scope and spirit of our invention. For example, when in the claims we have specificall referred to currents of air we mean also to cover gases other than air used for the same purpose. I

lVhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is, 1. A rectification apparatus, comprising a storage ,tank, an evaporator having an exposed surface provided with an area of superficial, capillary passages, heating means enclosed within said evaporator, a housing therefor having walls closely adjacent said evaporator having inlet and outlet openings for providing a draft of air over said area, means for feeding a liquid over said evaporator from said storage tank at a substantially constant rate, and means for collecting said liquid. v

, 2. A rectification apparatus, comprising an evaporator constructed to provide for the downward flow of a liquid thereon and being provided with a surface area of interlacing,

capillary passages, means-for maintaining lary passages whereby oil delivered to said heater is caused to spread over said surface and means for collecting oil discharged from said heater.

4. An oil reclaimer comprisingv a storage reservoir,-an evaporator having a broad surface having a configuration providinga plurality of interlacing ca illary ducts, means within said evaporator fbr heating the same, means for delivering oil from said reservoir to said evaporator at a substantially constant rate and a housing having walls closely surrounding said evaporator and having openings providing for the passage of air over the surface of said evaporator. I

5. A device for reclaiming oil comprising a storage reservoir, a heater having a recticulate surface configuration providing capil-- lary ducts, means for deliverin oil from said reservoir to the surface of said heater, and means for automatically maintaining the rate of oil flow substantially constant, means for distributing oil from said reservoir to the surface of said heater, means for collectin said oil, and means for passing air over said film of oil to carry away from said film vapors of volatilized diluents in the oil.

- 6. A device for reclaiming oil containing diluents in variable proportions, comprising a plate-shaped evaporator having a reticulate surface, means for automatically regulating the delivery of said oil to said evaporatorto maintain a substantially constant rate of flow, and means for collecting the reclaimed oil.

7. In an oil reclaimer the combination of an evaporator positioned to permit the flow of oil over its surface by gravity and having a reticulate surface with passages of capillary dimensions, heating means enclosed within said evaporator, means for supplying oil, from which vaporizable constituentsare to be removed,.to the upper part of said evaporator at a plurality of supplypoints spaced apart, means for heating said evaporator to a temperature which increases progressively from the top to the bottom of said evaporator, and means for collecting oil which has been passed overthe surface of said evaporator.

8. A rectification device which consists'in the top of said heater and means for eollect 'aplate-fshaped heater supported in an upingsaidliquid after having traversed the 10 right gosition and having aretl'c'ulate- Surface surface of said heater. v provi ing anetwork of 1 nterlacin ducts of In witnessfwhereof we have hereunto set 5 such small dimension that a liqui supglied ourhands this first day of.July,- 1922.

theretois distributed throughout said ucts by capillary force, means for su plying the VAN BRUNT.

liquid to be treated at distribut regions at PHILIP S. MILLER. 

